by Tom Brown

We can take great comfort in knowing that the gospel of grace is true by examining the life of King David. The same Bible that teaches us that he was regarded as "a man after God's own heart" pulls no punches when revealing that he was also a man of many shortcomings. One such occasion is found in 1 Kings 1:6, which reads...

"His father had never at any time displeased him by asking, 'Why have you done thus and so?'"

Now, this verse is not the main thrust of the passage by any means, and yet I think there is a very important lesson for us to take from this bit of information offered. Adonijah (David's second-born son) was leading a very prideful life. The plans of his heart were being fueled by self-centered desire, and what's worse is that his father knew about it and did nothing. This unchecked sinful pattern running free in Adonijah's heart is what ultimately cost him his life.

It seems that when a child is allowed to happily carry on in some pattern of sin for so long, the grip may become too strong to break. This is the reason why this small section of verse six has become so important to me. As a parent, I want to love my children to the best of my ability. I want to meet their needs physically and emotionally. I want them to be happy and to know how much I care for them, and these are all wonderful things to strive for. But what this verse makes crystal clear is that true love involves more than laughter and smiles; it takes more than encouragement and accolades. True love is willing to frustrate a child's heart today in the hope of giving them a better tomorrow. True love is willing to be disliked, to be unpopular, to be argued with and still stand firm. True love is more interested in what is best for the child than what is comfortable for the parent. My dear friends, if you love your children, I urge you to displease them in their sin.

Consider the implications of unbridled self-centeredness that goes uncontested by mom and dad. Someday soon, your little ones are going to be grown. They are going to be out in the world making their own decisions. From what kind of foundation will they come? One where they were never displeased, or one where they were often displeased in the name of love? Consider, can a marriage be healthy if one or both spouses is seeking his or her own selfish desires? Can a person be a good employee under the authority of a boss or supervisor if they are only willing to do that which pleases themselves? Can deep and meaningful friendships be formed by someone who sees people as a means to his or her own ends?

The sin of self-centeredness is at the helm of much dysfunction in our world, and it is the very antithesis of God's purpose in creating us. The clearest Scriptural explanation of the reason for our existence (and therefore the proper way for us to live, think, and behave) is found in 1 Corinthians 8:6 which says, "...for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist..." Could that verse be any clearer? To live self-focused, self-adoring, self-seeking, self-promoting lives is nothing less than sin against the very God who gives you life. It is no wonder that marriages, careers, friendships, and many other arenas of life are falling to pieces for those who continue to live this way. And it is for this reason that I charge you, as your brother in the Lord and a fellow parent: If you love your children, displease them. The momentary joys of unchecked sin are worthless compared to the deep and ever-satisfying joys of pleasing God and dwelling with him forever. Love your children with true love, with biblical love, with a love that is willing to displease.

by Jeremy McKeen

If you hang around Christian circles long enough, you may hear someone talking about the need for Christians to be “salt and light” in the world. Or if you’ve been a Christian since early childhood you probably remember singing, “This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.” But what do these metaphors actually mean? By identifying his disciples as the “salt and light” of the world (Matt.5:13-16), Jesus was saying some pretty strong things about the condition of the world and the Christian in the world.

The Condition of the World

Let’s start with salt. In many cultures, it’s an insult to ask your host for salt at the dinner table, because you’re implying that the food is bland and tasteless. Yet, in a way, this is exactly what Jesus is implying, because he knows without the seasoning of God’s grace, the world is prone to bland moralism, and yet without the flavor of God’s truth, it’s prone to tasteless immorality. Furthermore, in Jesus’ day, salt was primarily used as a preservative. They didn’t have refrigeration, so they would rub salt all over the meat to help prevent it from decay and disintegration. Jesus is also saying that the world’s various social, political and economic systems, left to themselves, are subject to go from bad to worse.

Now, what about light? Well, why would the world need light if it was not in the dark? But what is the significance of darkness? Darkness is a place of confusion. Jesus is saying that the world is “in the dark” on what really matters, confused about the big questions of life, such as: Where does morality come from? Where did we come from? What were we made for? Where are we going? Etc. But darkness is also a place of hiding. All the way back to Adam and Eve, you see that sin causes people to try and hide the truth from each other and from God. Moreover, darkness is a symbol for hopelessness. In the midst of a broken world, many people live without a sense that there’s light at the end of the tunnel.

Now, at this point you may be thinking, “Well, this is depressing. Why are you sharing all this?” Because Jesus knows that the tendency is to live with a false optimism, where you believe that the world is okay on its own, that it’s prone to goodness, and therefore it doesn’t need salt and light. But Jesus also cautions against the other extreme, which is a monastic escapism, where you look at the decay and darkness and just retreat into a holy huddle. Jesus is calling for another way of living, to a spiritual realism. In short, Jesus wants Christians to be in the world, but not of the world.

The Christian in the World

On the heels of the beatitudes, Jesus now issues a new identity. It’s on the basis of already being blessed and accepted that Jesus challenges his disciples to understand themselves as seasoning, preservatives, and lights. Jesus says in effect, “In me, you’ve now become agents of transformation in the various spheres of influence that you have.” Christians are called to be different, because in Christ, they already are different. But still, what does this practically look like?

Well, take Jan for example. Jan was a Christian lady who began working a very tiring job where the boss never encouraged the employees. So, each week Jan made a point to write a simple encouraging note or do a kind personal gesture for each of her coworkers. Jan did this for 13 years until she suddenly died in a car accident. As you might guess, Jan’s funeral was filled with people she had worked with, who stood up and shared how Jan had made their world a little bit brighter. And then one man got up and said, “I never shared this with anyone, but one morning before work, my wife told me that she was leaving me, and two days earlier I had been diagnosed with a terminally ill disease. My world was crumbling all around me. I told no one. I arrived at the office, and there on my desk was a little envelope. I opened it up. It was from Jan, and it read, ‘The Lord is near to the brokenhearted. He helps those who are weak, and to him who has no might, He increases strength. When you are weak, God is strong.’” And the man said, “That day, for the first time, I knew there was a God, and I began to turn to Him. I’m sure going to miss Jan.”

Jan was missed because she lived out her identity in Christ as a preservative in a job that was prone to discouragement. She was a seasoning that brought her office the flavor of God’s encouraging care.

Like Jan, in a world that’s subject to decay, Christians are called to press into the brokenness and seek to preserve it and season it with the character of God. In a world of confusion, Christians are called to bring the truth of Christ into every sphere of life. In a world of hiding, Christians are liberated in Christ to be open and honest about their weakness and struggles. In a world of hopelessness, Christians are called to sacrificially give their live to serve those around them, because, like Jesus, they know their labor is not in vain and that there’s a better world coming.

In essence, Jesus says to every Christian, “I’ve blessed you to be a blessing. I’ve lit you to shine your light, not like grand fireworks that bring attention to themselves but like humble spotlights that bring attention to God.” The encouraging reminder of simply being salt and light is that you don’t need to do great things to make a profound difference in the world, you just need to be who Christ has called you to be, in the place he’s called you to be.

by Jeremy McKeen

Nobody likes to be corrected. Yet, correction is often like bad tasting medicine; it doesn’t make you feel good in the moment, but it can help you to become better in the days to come. Solomon put it like this, “It is better for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise than to hear the song of fools” (Ecclesiastes 7:5). The song of fools is figurative for being serenaded with flattery. So, in other words, both correction and compliments are good, but when it comes to developing your inner life and character, correction has more value.

1) The Value of Correction

When I was just starting out in ministry, one of my mentors took me out to lunch and said, “Jeremy, I hear you talk a lot about God, but I don’t have a sense of God about you. I hear God from your lips, but I don’t see much of God in your life. I see a man who really struggles with pride.” He went on to give me a number of examples. That was quite the rebuke, but I walked away from that lunch, and I prayed about it; I talked with my wife Lindsay about it, and I saw that he was absolutely right. God used that rebuke to teach me and develop more humility within me. However, the development didn’t come through receiving compliments; it came through receiving correction. Compliments are often fleeing, but the impact of correction can last a lifetime. Would you rather be serenaded with flattery, or saved by rebuke? Would you rather verbally have a meaningless pat on the back, or a meaningful slap in the face? It’s easy to miss the value of correction if you’re not making character growth a priority. Now, when it comes to correction, it’s not enough for people to see the value of correction; it’s important to learn the process of correction.

2) The Process of Correction

How do you receive correction well? Here are three things that can help:

1) Be quick to hear: How many times has someone brought something to you, and before he or she is even finished you’re thinking about how they’re wrong, how to defend yourself, or thinking, “Who are they to talk to me like this? Don’t they know what kind of day I’ve had?” Hear them out first.

2) Believe the gospel: The gospel keeps people from the extremes of defense and despair. The more you trust in Jesus’ righteousness for you before God, the less you’re going to feel a need to defend your own righteousness before men. Because of the life and death of Jesus in a Christian’s place, they don’t have to deny their sin, or be in despair about it either. The gospel enables someone to stand corrected without being spiritually crushed.

3) Build off the good: There will surely be times when someone comes to you with something that is untrue or unfair, and it’s meant more to harm than to help. What do you do when that happens? Focus on your own sanctification rather than on his or her own sinfulness. Recognize that God is using this to refine you in some way. Also, you can tell the person, “I honestly don’t see this in my life, but that doesn’t mean it’s not true. I'm going to take what you brought to me seriously and keep an eye on what you said.” You’re going to build off the good.

How do you give correction well?

Here are five quick things to keep in mind:

1) Start with yourself: Jesus instructed Christians to look for the potential log in their own eye before addressing the speck in someone else’s. Have you taken a hard look at your own eating habits, parenting skills, or attitude before you address theirs? Until you can see yourself, apart from God’s grace, doing the same exact thing, you’re not ready to go to the person. Also, consider why you’re going to them. Is it to build them up or to blow off steam?

2) Face your fears: A lot people do not correct others when needed because they say, “I’m just going to love them instead.” Yet, like any good parent, love gives what a person needs, not always what he or she wants. It’s often out of a fear of losing a person’s approval that keeps someone from addressing an issue.

3) Take the right approach: Sometimes, the right approach is simply waiting until it happens again. Don’t be so quick on the rebuke trigger. Allow for mistakes, but always address patterns. Also, if it all possible, correct someone privately, and compliment someone publically. The right approach is usually the hardest approach. It’s easier to send a text or an email than to pick up the phone or talk face-to-face.

4) Ask Questions First: Don’t make judgments before you ask questions. Ask the person to explain some things first. Get the facts. Play the detective before you play the judge.

5) Make it constructive: For example, don't say, “I just don't think you're a very loving person.” That’s destructive, not constructive, because you haven’t given them a specific example to build off of. Also, most people don’t need the shotgun; they just need the squirt gun. In other words, a little word of correction will go a long way. You don’t have to be too harsh about it or go on and on about it. How are Christians called to give correction? They are to love their neighbor as themselves. Correct others the way you would want to be corrected. In the pursuit of character growth, remember the value of correction and learn the process of correction.

by Tom Brown

Do you ever experience a looming inner melancholy? A thirst of the soul to understand why you are alive and what this world is all about? Do you find it hard to connect the daily activity of your life to the love for God you hold in your heart? It may seem strange at first, but the place to start dealing with this pervasive struggle is not through fervent self-discovery, exotic world travel,  a change of relationship, or a new career. In order to rightly answer the questions of personal significance, meaning, and calling we must first answer the question of the ultimate purpose for everything that has been made. What I mean is, before we can answer the questions of what our lives are meant to be or where we belong in this vast and immeasurable universe, we must first discover the purpose of God upon which the course of all things runs.

Our individual lives are only a small piece in the grand puzzle of God’s sovereign will. If we don’t understand the big picture of the whole puzzle, we will have no idea where or how we fit into it. So I ask you, do you know what God is doing in this world? Do you understand his plans for what he has made? Do you grasp the story he is telling as it has been revealed in the Scriptures? If not, it is no wonder that you find it impossible to connect the faith of your heart to the work of your life.

I encourage you to dig deep into the Scriptures and seek the help of a mature christian in finding the answers to these very important questions. The deep sense of peace and purpose that you long for will not be found through a greater discovery of yourself, but through a greater discovery of the one who knit you together according to his perfect and purposeful design. The way we come to understand the course of history is by realizing that it is all His story.

What on earth is God up to in this world?

I hope you will dare to dive into the Scriptures and find the answer.

“…All things were created through him and for him.” (Colossians 1:16)

by Tom Brown

It is hard to overstate the significance of a father’s role in the life of his family. By God’s design fathers are meant to function as the chief familial example of Jesus Christ to their children. Although we will never be able to perfectly display the character of Christ, we are undeniably called to be a picture of Christ for our little ones to see. We are called to be a consistent example of his kindness, mercy, righteousness and love. I think almost all christian men accept this as it pertains to their personal conduct, but there is more to displaying Christ to our kids than simply being a good example, we are also called to be teachers.

“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it”(Proverbs 22:6).

“Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord”
(Ephesians 6:4). 

What exactly should we be training our children in? What should we be teaching them? Many fathers never get around to even asking these questions, and many others may ask but they leave the questions inadequately answered. They never stop to think, consider, ponder, or meditate upon the incredibly significant position of influence God has given them. They don’t take time to digest the responsibility upon their shoulders not only to provide food, clothing and shelter, but to provide consistent and gracious personal instruction for their children’s soul. I don’t intend to unpack the depths of these verses in this blog, nor to offer an over-simplified cookie-cutter answer. What I mean to do is provoke you to step up to the plate and offer a few pointers on how to swing for the fences by faith.

The Discipline of the Lord“Fathers… bring them up in the discipline… of the Lord.”

What we do know about the Lord’s discipline that might help us rightly digest this verse? We know that the Lord’s discipline is always rooted in love. And we know that the Lord’s discipline is always rooted in his commandments. But how do these apply to your role as an earthly father?

Discipline rooted in love is the opposite of discipline rooted in anger, impatience, frustration or annoyance. It is not a discipline that seeks personal preference but a discipline that seeks the greatest good of the child. This means there will be times when you need to step up and speak boldly (even when you might feel tired and tempted to be passive), and there will also be times when you need to keep quiet because you aren’t actually frustrated with a sinful attitude or behavior, you are frustrated because your children’s development and needs are interfering with your preferences and plans.

Discipline rooted in God’s commandments is predictable. It is not based on how your day goes, how tired you might feel, or whether the circumstances of your life happen to be favorable. God’s discipline is not dependent on his mood, it is dependent on the clearly defined expectations he has set forth in his Word. It is a very sad thing for children to grow up in a home where they never know what to expect from their parents because their parent’s parenting is based on their ever-fluctuating circumstances and emotions. God is not like this. He does not deal harshly with us some days and kindly with us on others based on his disposition, and neither should we. Fathers are called to be consistent in their loving discipline and offer their children clearly defined expectations so that the child knows how to walk in obedience and please them. Without this, the child lives in a constant state of uneasiness and unrest. 

The Instruction of the Lord“Fathers… bring them up in the… instruction of the Lord.”

Where do we receive the Lord’s instruction? The answer is the Bible. Fathers, you are called to train your children to the best of your ability in the truths of God’s Word. This requires intentionality. No one accidentally holds regular devotions with his kids. No one accidentally spends time in prayer with his little ones. No one accidentally gathers his family to sing praise to Almighty God. These things come through driven effort, intentionality, planning, and diligence (all of which we have been empowered with through God’s Spirit living in us). Make no mistake dad, you are called to point your children to the truth of the gospel and help them understand the depths of the riches of God’s mercy found there. This isn’t a one-weekend retreat, it is a lifelong process of meeting each of your children right where they are and prayerfully investing your mind into their soul. You cannot lead someone where you have never been, which means part of being a good father is remembering that you yourself are a son under the great Father and sitting at his feet often to learn for yourself.

Take some time today and ask:• How am I doing in this?• What things am I really glad my dad taught me about the Lord?
• What things do I wish he would have taught me?

Whether they admit it or not, your children deeply crave the special loving attention of their daddy investing in them with all his heart. Set a time, set a place, and commit to “training up your children in the way they should go; even when they are old they will not depart from it.”

by Tom Brown

PSALM 20:7 – “SOME TRUST IN CHARIOTS AND SOME IN HORSES, BUT WE TRUST IN THE NAME OF THE LORD OUR GOD.”

Here, the people of Israel are making a request for God to grant favor to their king. They sing in unison and rally together in a singular plea, “Lord, save our leader!” Yet we can no longer sing this psalm from the same position that they did. That particular request is no longer available to be made because the answer has already been given: the Eternal King, the one and only Messiah of the Lord has come! He has not trusted in chariots and horses, in legions of angels, or in the abuse of his own power. He has faced his enemy head-on with the solitary weapon of faith-fueled obedience to his Father’s every request. The bitter cup of judgment against our sin was poured for him to drink, and because it was his Father’s will, he drank every drop—even unto death. Yet, death could not keep him. For, “The Lord saves his anointed; he will answer him from his holy heaven with the saving might of his right hand.” Christ was crushed under the weight of our sin, and yet he has been vindicated by the saving might of the Almighty God. The resurrection is heaven’s most firm declaration to the souls of this world, “Jesus is the King of the Ages! Jesus is the Messiah! Jesus is God’s Chosen One! Jesus is Lord! No one shall be saved by any other name.”

The people of old sang verse five with hope, but it was hope mingled with uncertainty. Christ’s resurrection from the grave has removed all uncertainty for us and given the Church unending cause for joyous celebration.  Let the banners be raised in our hearts afresh each day! For whatever small skirmishes may yet be won or lost in our daily lives, whatever troubles encompass us or whatever sorrows we shall face, they are—at worst—temporary. Eternal life has been secured for every believing heart through the conquering victory of Christ our King—the war is already won! Nothing in life or death, in heaven or hell, in past or present is able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom. 8:39). “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. They collapse and fall, but we rise and stand upright.”

by Jeremy McKeen

What is God really like? It’s easy to think that God is like a divine drill sergeant, just waiting for people to mess up so that he can make them pay. However, that is not the picture of God that the bible presents. Jesus cleared up any misconceptions of God’s heart in his famous parable of the prodigal son. It’s the classic story about the son who rebelliously walked away from his father, and the father who gladly welcomed him back. Jesus used the father in the parable to reveal God’s heart of compassion for the lost and his celebration for the found.

Compassion for the lost

The story begins with the younger of two sons wishing his father was dead. So, the son demands his inheritance early, moves away, and wastes all that the father had saved up for him on prostitutes and parties until he’s broke, lonely and feeding pigs for a living. The boy was so hungry that he desired to eat the slop that the pigs ate. He finally comes to his senses, remembers the kindness of his father, acknowledges his sin, and decides to return home. You would expect his father to be just a little bit upset when he saw his son again. After all, the father could not have been more dishonored. Surely, the father is going to be waiting with his arms crossed ready to give his son a scolding. He’s going to reluctantly take him back but make sure that his son pays for his sins. That’s the response that the Pharisees listening to Jesus tell this story were expecting to hear. It was the complete opposite.

The father was eagerly keeping his eye on the road, waiting and hoping for the day when his son would return. And when the father saw his son a far way off, he was full of compassion and ran to him (something that a respectable adult in Jesus’ day would never do). He embraced his son and smothered him in kisses. The smell of pig must have still been on him; it didn’t matter. His son had come home. Just think of all that the son had lost: he had lost his home, his money, his food, his friends and his dignity. But there was something he had never lost; he never lost his father’s love. This is how much love and compassion God has for the lost. This is the heart of God.

Now, there are some people who think that this is God’s heart now, but in the Old Testament God was cruel and judgmental. Yet, consider just some of the Old Testament Prophets: Ezekiel announced that God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but in sinners turning back to him (see Ezekiel 18:32). Jonah didn’t want to go Nineveh, because he knew God was gracious towards sinners and full of compassion (see Jonah 4:2). Micah declared that God delights in showing mercy and compassion to sinners who come home (see Micah 7:18-19). God has always been full of compassion towards the lost, and this is why there is so much celebration when they’re found.

Celebration for the found

The father doesn’t just show great compassion towards his son, he also throws a great celebration for his son. He puts a ring on his finger; the best robe on his back, slaughters the fattened calf, and throws a party with music and dancing. It’s a great picture of how heaven responds when sinners return to God. Now, if someone thinks that the father went a bit overboard, then it’s only because that person doesn’t yet share the same degree of care and compassion for the lost. The degree to which you celebrate something reflects how much you care about it.

The picture is not of a couple angels casually mentioning, “Oh, by the way, did you hear that Billy finally got saved?” “That’s right. Good for him.” No! It's more like a bunch of fans watching their favorite football team score the winning touchdown in the Super Bowl. They’re all screaming and jumping around the room. They’re celebrating! That is the kind of reaction God has when sinners return to him. The great compassion and celebration of God is contrasted with the contempt and grumbling of the Pharisees. They didn’t understand why Jesus would spend time and eat with notorious sinners. They didn’t understand the heart of God. They didn’t understand that they were lost too. This is why there are two sons in the story that Jesus told, not just one. The older son hears about the party and refuses to go in. All of this is very intentional. As Tim Keller pointed out in The Prodigal God, “Jesus puts a flawed older brother in the story so that we would imagine a perfect one.” We’re meant to see Jesus as the true older brother who gladly left his father’s house to seek out the lost and bring them home at his own expense, granting free forgiveness and every spiritual blessing at the cost of his own life on the cross. What is God really like? He’s exactly like Jesus. He’s exactly like the father in the story. He’s not waiting for people to mess up with his arms crossed; he’s waiting for sinners to come home with his arms open.

by Jeremy McKeen

One of the most popular Christmas anthems is “Joy to the World.” But how in the world is joy possible? Literally, how in this world that is filled with such sorrow and pain do you experience true joy? Do you just need to pretend that bad things haven’t happened or won’t happen? Just try and ignore the pain or avoid the pain? In this world of great suffering, where do Christians get off with talking about the goodness of God and the joy of life? Has Jesus really brought joy to the world? And if so, how? That’s the question that needs to be answered. Because the popular understanding of Christianity is that it is anti-joy. It's nothing but dos and don’ts. People think, “I want to have fun. I want to experience life with a capital “L”, but I won’t be able to do that if I’m a Christian.” Many people think of Christianity as something that hinders your joy, not as the one thing that can bring you joy. So what is the joy of Christianity?

A Realistic Joy

The first thing a person must understand is that the joy Jesus brings the world is very realistic. On the night before Jesus was crucified, he told his disciples, “You will weep and be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy.” Jesus doesn’t ask you to pretend that suffering doesn’t exist; he asks you to look at the suffering in a different way. Jesus gives the example of a woman going through labor pains. The pain is real, but there’s something that happens that changes everything - the outcome of the pain. When that little baby is presented to the mother, the pain is not exchanged for joy; the pain is literally transformed into joy because the mother holding the baby in her arms sees what all the pain was for. She sees that the pain was worth it. The very cause of her sorrow becomes the very cause of her joy. It’s the same thing with the death of Jesus. It caused him and his disciple’s great pain and sorrow, but now the cross is celebrated across the world. Why? Because you see its purpose. The sufferings of Christ have brought about complete forgiveness and eternal life for all those who will believe in him. The cause of the sorrow has been turned into the cause of joy. This is the type of joy that Jesus offers you. It’s the joy of knowing that no sorrow or loss is ever senseless. God will not come to you with a consolation prize that hopefully makes up for the suffering you experience in life. No, he will show you the perfect purpose for all the suffering so that the tragedy is actually transformed into triumph. Christian joy is not the absence of sadness or sorrow; it’s the absence of despair and discontentment.

A Constant Joy

Jesus also told his followers that “your hearts will rejoice and no one will take your joy from you.” The joy of Christianity is a constant joy as compared to the unstable joy that the world offers. For example, here is a father at Disney World waiting with his little girl to see Minnie Mouse. Minnie is signing autographs and taking pictures with the kids and this father’s little girl can’t wait to meet her. So they wait in line for several minutes, and then just when they get to the front of the line, a security guard comes up and says, “Sorry folks, Minnie has got a show to do”, and she is taken away. You see, that is the best type of happiness that the world can offer. Disney is the happiest place on earth, if you happen to be in the right spot in line. It’s the happiest place on earth, if you have the money to get in. The only type of joy that the world can offer is a joy that is contingent upon good circumstances. It’s a joy that’s based on having your health, money, beauty, or success. Therefore, it’s unstable because all of those things can change in an instant. But Jesus offers a joy that nothing and no one can take away. It’s a constant joy because it’s based on the unchanging facts of his death and resurrection and the unchanging character and will of God in your life. Your circumstances may change, but God’s perfect love, faithfulness, mercy, justice, promises and grace never will. Christian joy is a deep satisfaction in the unchanging goodness and sovereignty of God.

An Abundant Joy

Jesus mentioned many times throughout his teachings that, “I’ve said these things so that your joy may be full.” The joy that Jesus offers is not a cup half full; it’s a cup spilling over. When Jesus performed his first miracle, he was at a wedding reception. He didn’t blow the whistle on their fun and tell everyone they couldn’t have a good time. No, the wine had run out, and Jesus turned six large jugs of water into the best wine the people ever tasted. Wine is an ancient symbol for joy. What Jesus was showing the world is that the wines of this world will eventually run out, and never completely satisfy, but the wine that he provides will never run dry and will always satisfy the soul. This abundant joy happens when you experience God’s redeeming love in the gospel, and then express the same type of love to others. It happens when you commune with God in prayer and watch him answer you. It happens when you deny yourself and follow him into a life sacrificially lived for others. It happens when you meditate upon his promises. It happens when knowing God and being a part of what he’s doing in this world becomes enough. To every believing heart, Jesus has surely brought joy to the world, the type of realistic, constant and abundant joy that only he could bring.

by Jeremy McKeen

What do you say to the person who comes to you and tells you, “I believe in Jesus; I know I’m a Christian, but I still find myself struggling with sin. There are times when I see progress, but there are also times when I still make the same mistakes. It can be very discouraging. What do I do? How should I handle this?” When it comes to the Christian life, these are common feelings and common questions. But what are the biblical answers? How can Christians understand the ongoing struggle with sin? And how should they respond to it?

Understanding the struggle

It’s a universal struggle for all believers. The first thing Christians can understand about this struggle is that every Christian faces it. The bible is clear; “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8). Every Christian struggles with sin to some degree. There was once a young man who came to J.I. Packer, the great author and theologian, and said, “I don’t understand Romans 7. How can Paul be this mature Christian and still be struggling with sin?” And Packer said, “It’s precisely because Paul is such a mature Christian that he is struggling with sin.” Packer explained that Paul in Romans 7 is not a picture of the almost Christian or the defeated Christian; he’s a picture of the fighting Christian. Romans 7 isn’t about Paul still living in sin; it’s about sin still living in Paul. It’s not like Paul wasn’t making any progress. It’s that the more he drew near to God the more aware he became of his sin and his inability to perfectly meet the high standards of God’s law. Imagine you’ve just washed a drinking glass and you think it’s as clean as it can be, but then you hold it up to the light of the sun, and you see more and more spots. What happened? The glass didn’t become dirtier, you became more aware of the dirt. Such is the Christian life. God is light and the nearer you are to him the more dirt you’re going to be able to see. A Christian never becomes more sinful; they become more aware of their sin. God causes Christians to see their sin not to make them hopeless but to make them humble, not to make them depressed, but to make them more dependent upon his grace.

It's an inward struggle of competing desires. The struggle with sin is a battle of inward desires. “The desires of the flesh are against the desires of the Spirit …to keep you from doing the things you want to do” (Galatians 5:17). Notice there are now two competing desires in the Christian. Unlike the Buddhist solution of trying to get rid of desire, Christianity claims that desire is not the problem. It’s the direction and degree of desire that matters. Every Christian is a new person in Christ with a new nature. Yet it’s precisely because of this new nature that there is now an inward conflict between following the right master and trying to be your own master. The unbeliever is at peace with sin and at war with God but the believer is at peace with God and at war with sin.

It's a lifelong struggle until you see Christ. Sin will remain until you see Christ, therefore the struggle and conflict will remain. There was once a “higher-life” preacher at the Keswick Convention teaching people how to live a victorious Christian life free from all known sin. After his talk one of his collogues asked him if that had been his own experience or did he still struggle to do the right thing. The preacher admitted that he still struggled with sin, but he had been a Christian for a long time and didn't want to discourage the younger Christians in the audience. But what would have been more encouraging? The truth that the normal Christian life from start to finish is full of ups and downs, real progress yet periodic failures. So if this is how to understand the struggle, how should Christians respond to it?

Responding to the struggle

Christians confess their wretchedness. The great Apostle Paul was not afraid to say, “Wretched man that I am” (Romans 7:24). The new Paul saw the remnants of the old Paul and it humbled him. In light of the holiness of God, the mature Christian doesn't declare, “Wonderful man that I am”, but rather, “Wretched man that I am.”

Christians seek out God’s deliverance. “Who shall deliver me from this body of death?” Paul was seeking complete deliverance. This was not a cry of despair; it was a cry of desire. Paul desired to be free not just from the penalty and power of sin but from the presence of sin. In the midst of this struggle with sin genuine Christians seek the complete deliverance that will one day be theirs.

Christians gives thanks to God for Christ. Because Jesus died, Paul could find complete forgiveness, and because Jesus rose again, he could find continued power and complete assurance to keep fighting. Someone may ask, “Are you living in the defeat of Romans 7 or in the victory of Romans 8?” However, a Christian is still putting sin to death and groaning inwardly in chapter 8. Paul is not moving from defeat to victory in those chapters; he is moving from struggle to assurance. Paul is teaching that the Christian life involves both great struggle and great assurance. He wants every Christian to know that although the struggle with sin remains, the final victory over it is certain.

by Jeremy McKeen

Is Christianity really credible? Or is Christian faith just a blind leap in the dark? Is Christianity a reasonable position to take? Or is it simply a convenient crutch that millions of mindless people use to get through life? Many people consider Christianity to be anti-intellectual. They say things like, “Well if it works for you to believe then great, but not us modern scientific minds.” But here’s why Christianity is the most rational approach to life possible.

The Basis of Christian Faith

You may find several people who are skeptical to Christianity saying, “There are times when I just wish I had your faith, but it’s too irrational for me.” If that happens, ask them if they’ve ever read the Bible cover to cover. Ask them if they’ve ever read the four gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John)? More often than not, the answer will be no. So it’s no wonder that these folks are not able to believe, because the basis of faith is the word of God. The basis of Christian faith is the eyewitness reports recorded in the Bible. The gospels are written as eyewitness reports that call for faith. Therefore, someone doesn’t have to physically see the resurrected Jesus in order to believe in Jesus, he or she needs to trust the reports of those who actually did physically see him.

The Eyewitness Reports

Look at it like this; if you’re going to plan to take the family hiking, you want to first check the weather report. But how do you know it’s accurate? You have to take their word for it. Your faith on how the weather will turn out is based on the report. What if you’re about to purchase a pre-owned vehicle? Before you buy it you’re going to look over the Carfax report. But you weren’t there when the car was previously driven. You have to trust the report. How do you know that George Washington was America’s first President? You weren’t there. You trust the reports. People trust things based on eyewitness reports every day of their lives. They just need to do it with the eyewitness reports in the word of God. But you may wonder, “What about all the people who have read the gospels and still reject Christ?” This only goes to show that it’s not only a lack of evidence that stands in the way. Jesus raised a man from the dead and still people refused to believe. Because, as Tim Keller pointed out, “To believe the truth of God requires you to stand under the truth of God.” In other words, trusting in Christ means losing control of your life. So it’s one thing to trust the weather report with your daily plans at stake; it’s another thing to trust the disciple’s reports with your eternity at stake. This is why Christian faith has to be a gift (Eph.2:8), because people lack the power to give up that much control themselves. Christian faith is a gift, but at the same time, it is reasonably based on historical credible testimony.

The Result of Christian Faith

A lot of people reject Christianity because they think that faith in Jesus is going to keep them from experiencing life. Yet the Apostle John wrote that believing in Jesus brings “Life in his name” (John 20:31). Jesus himself said, “I have come that you may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). There was once a Christian lecturer who was publically defending the claims of Christianity and an atheist stood up and challenged him to a debate. The speaker said, “Of course I will debate you, but only on one condition. When we both show up to the debate you must bring as many people as you can whose lives have been changed for the better because of your atheism, and I’ll bring as many as people as I can who have been changed by Christ.” The atheist just sat down. The point was made – Christianity brings real life to people; it doesn’t squash it. So what is this abundant life?

It’s a life of forgiveness where all your sins are wiped away. It’s a life of joy where your heart is satisfied in God. It’s a life of meaning and hope because there is life beyond the grave and what you do on earth matters. It’s a life with a moral foundation where the unchangeable will of God is your standard. It’s a life of peace where even in the darkest of times, you can know that God is your Father who is in complete control. So much more could be mentioned, but when carefully considered, you find that Christianity is not a blind leap in the dark but rather a rational step into the light.